Bush aims for computerized medical records

[PfcHammer]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20040426-041212-5103r.htm

Bush aims for computerized medical records

Minneapolis, MN, Apr. 26 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush Monday called for computerized personal health records to cut down medical errors and streamline the health care process.

Computerization of health care records would include filling out and ordering prescriptions, sending of x-rays via the Internet for quick evaluation and easy transfer or reference of medical history.

"The 21st century health care system is using a 19th century paperwork system," Bush said to a meeting of community college administrators and educators in Minneapolis. "Doctors use paper files to keep track of their patients. Pharmacists have to figure out the handwriting of a doctor. Vital medical information is scattered in many places. X-rays get misplaced.

<more>

[Old and In the Way]

1. Yeah, too bad we didn't have your TANG files on computer.

Like he cares about this issue...I'm sure this is part of his TIA control on the citizens. I don't trust him on anything.

[teryang]

3. The potential for abuse is unlimited

I agree with you 100 percent. This is a totalitarian move.

[Tellurian]

5. Yep, this along with his pushing the renewal of the Pats Act..

easy access to medical records could affect insurance eligibility, gainful employment, the right to privacy and much more.

[flaminbats]

17. Absolutely..

don't the insurance companies and corporations deserve access to a taxpayer funded database in the name of cutting costs?

And the taxpayers will have as much access to their information on that public website as the one for Homeland Security.

[Demonaut]

10. what, you dont trust them?.....every proposal from this administration

has an ulterior motive

[this_side_up]

2. another facet of Republican

worldwide population control. If they can't kill enough
off in wars, then it will be through rationing
health care.

Unless you are rich enough to pay for chemo, heart
attack treatment, physical therapy etc.

I am relieved my Mister and I are as old as we are.

[Emillereid]

4. Funny you should say this -- I have a very well to do friend who

has a republican/libertarian orientation in 'normal' times but is convinced that the government is now engaged in a systematic campaign to kill off people so they won't have to pay out social security. She believes that the smallpox campaign is about thinning the population. She's in shock that she is going to have to vote democratic this time although she's real unhappy about Kerry stupid stance on the Iraq war. These times are indeed strange!

[Tellurian]

6. she's right. Bush is trying to eliminate several segments of

the population to avoid retirement benefits payouts, as you said SS for the boomers and the Gen-Yers, also this generation who are getting themselves killed in Iraq, the entire middle class for that matter including, the sick and the poor.

[moondust]

7. Funny he didn't mention outsourcing.

You can't send all those paper records to India but you sure can the electronic ones! Georgie has big plans for the future...of India!

[Iceburg]

8. Aiming for computerized medical records when he should have his sights

on universal/single-payer health care.

"...Bush called for the adoption of standards for storing medical information and sharing it electronically ..."

This man does not understand how the world works at all.
The US medical system is comprised of 10 of 1000's of privately owned for-profit health care organizations -- hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, pharmacies, private practices. Do you think for one moment that these (often competing) organizations are going to sit down and hammer out a rigid "standard" (a necessary prerequisite to computerization) in your lifetime?

Until the US makes the monumental decision to support a universal/single-payer system, computerizing records is at best a dream and at worst another billion-dollar administration nightmare.

"He also said he planned the doubling of funding -- to $100 million -- for demonstration projects on health care information technology."

That should get him a few power point presentations and a summer job for twins.

Can someone from another planet really run for the US presidency? I thought the constitution forbid foreigners from running for the presidency.

[sidpleasant]

9. Shrub is clueless once again

I work for a company that sells software to hospitals. All of the stuff that Shrub is calling for is already a reality. In many hospitals doctors use tablet PCs rather than clipboards and patinet records are electronic. Prescription orders are transmitted electronically and double - checked by software that detects errors such as incorrect dosages and drug interactions. Digital X-Rays are nothing new either.

I wonder if Shrub would be as dumbstruck by a supermarket check - out scanner as his dim - witted father was.

[74dodgedart]

11. Besides, it will make it easier to offshore this stuff...

[hang a left]

12. This *man is the devil himself.

This was a thread I started a couple of month back. I went to my Dr. and was really freaked out about this. It seems that they are already putting this in place. Call me crazy, but this crap makes me break out the industrial sized reynolds wrap.




http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1153987

So I go to the doctor. My regular medical center. Haven't been there for about a year. They make me sign a bunch of new paperwork and make sign a receipt for this notice of privacy practice.

This causes me great concern. The way this pamplet is written, it appears that the stage has been set for the various government agencies to use your doctors and medical clinics as a source of information. Does this bother anyone else.

snip>

12. Law enforcement. We may, and are sometimes required by law, to disclose your health information to a law enforcement official for purposes such as identifying of locating a suspect, fugitive, material witness or missing person, complying with a court order, warrant, grand jury subpoena and other law enforcement purposes.

snip>

15. Public safety. We may, and are sometimes required by law, to disclose your health information to appropriate persons in order to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safety of a particular person or the general public.


16. Specialized government functions. We may disclose your health information for military or national security purposes or to correctional institutions or law enforcement officers that have you in their lawful custody.

[Lars39]

13. This would benefit the insurance companies.

It would help them weed out the undesirables, ie the chronically ill, etc.

[hatrack]

14. "Yup, before George came along, we were usin' parchment & quill pens"

More photo-op bullshit from the compassionate Chimp.

[THUNDER HANDS]

15. Hey cool, something directly related to me and my job

Medical records and information!

Oh, for those worried about the stealing of information - don't.

Right now without any fancy, high-tech computerized system I can get the social security numbers, insurance card #'s, addresses, phone numbers, birth certificates of thousands of thousands of people.

If I wanted to I could wreak havoc rather easily. The thing is, with the new system it would be a little harder, because whoever is accessing the information will be tracked electronically - which is not happening now.

So in the future, if there is an abuse of the system, it will be easier to find out who did it.

But as for actually stopping abuses from happening - the new system won't make much of a difference.

[denverbill]

20. Kinda, sorta.

It will be more protected against YOU swiping the info, but less protected from Russian computer hackers.

Any data traversing the web is vulnerable to some degree. If it's encrypted, it's less vulnerable. If not, anyone who wants to can see plain text of what's being sent.

That means if some criminal hacker in Russia wants to and is smart enough, he can steal the exact same info you could. He could also take note of that STD you got treated for, and use it to blackmail you, and the FBI and US cops aren't going to help you out much.

[THUNDER HANDS]

22. true

but i think it's much more likely someone who would steal personal information would be someone who worked in the place where the information was readily available to them.

A Russian hacker could do that, but if he could do that, he might as well just crack into a bank's database and steal money.

[74dodgedart]

25. What happens when your job gets outsourced to India ?

How safe will that data be ?

[underpants]

16. IF ONLY someone had thought of this say 12 years ago

Oh yeah they did and it was shot down immediately.

[Tippy]

18. This is all about outsourcing more jobs

I do not want someone from India reading my x'rays...I do not want someone from another country having all my personal information...Someone mentioned abuse...well we have some abuse here but when these folks realize...how much they can earn from selling our information...even identity theft...not easily traceable here but think how hard it will be to follow the trail to another country...

[74dodgedart]

23. I have been told that companies can circumvent HIPPA through off-shoring

[moondust]

26. Slipping info out the back door to insurance companies.

Conveniently over a satellite internet connection.

[Only Me]

19. My husbands doctor does this...

His office went to total electronic medical records. It didn't work out that well. So now, they keep a hard copy (paper file) and an electronic file. Thats not very efficient, if you gotta keep a hard copy, as security, what is the point in making it electronic?
Personally I like to keep my medical business my own business and I don't like it spread to who knows where. I think there is to much probing into personal info as it is. We truly have no privacy, and we should make it even easier??

[happynewyear]

27. doctor here doing it too - now almost bankrupt!

Definitely the other side of the coin on this issue.

The doctor has all of this very expensive equipment, scanners, etc. However, someone needs to scan the records, etc. in and then they are on the computer. Now we have the $6.00 an hr. employee to do this with no benefits, etc. Unmotivated at best seems to be the story in this situation. Records sent are never quickly found as they are piled in stacks waiting to be scanned in.

I couldn't believe what a mess this process is. This medical office here that does it is so mismanaged and disjointed they are almost bankrupt while in the meantime, the medical records continue to stack up waiting to be scanned in, only to be entered into the wrong person's file. Nightmare scenario at best!

I still ascertain that there is nothing more valuable than the written word/record and actual x-ray, etc. to review in your own two hands with your own eyes.

I don't believe that the actual written word/record will ever disappear. It is far too valuable as we are learning now.

[booksenkatz]

21. Nazis are always more interested in PROCESS than in PEOPLE

The Nazis were breathtakingly organized in their paperwork, too.

Instead of investing trillions in paper shuffling, how 'bout a few bucks for the toddlers who are running around with ear infections and bronchitis because their folks are unemployed and don't have any health insurance? Maybe a buck for that young student who has a "funny" lump but can't afford to get it looked at? Maybe a coupla drachmas for the old woman who will be having Little Friskies for her one meal today because her medicine costs a fortune?

How 'bout it, Herr Bush?

[74dodgedart]

24. Are we doing this before or after we go to Mars ?

[happynewyear]

28. whole story re: outsourced jobs

I found this thread on the Economics board and it discusses transcription of medical records that are currently being outsourced. It is really pretty creepy.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=114x7376